Help with Family Law Issues

Bay Area Legal Services’ Family Law Team and our branch offices and partners represent eligible applicants under 60 years of age with divorce, custody, and other family law problems. Because the need for help with family law problems always exceeds our resources, we give priority to callers who are victims of domestic violence. We provide advice, referrals, and representation for a variety of matters including:

Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce): Helping you obtain the orders you need for your family, including timesharing (formerly called custody or visitation), child support, alimony, division of property and debts, and if you are the wife, restoring your former name.

Custody when parents are unmarried: Helping you establish your parental rights and responsibilities, including paternity, timesharing, and child support.

Post-judgment: Helping you enforce or make changes to your family law judgment.

Domestic Violence Injunctions: Helping you obtain and enforce an Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence. The injunction can be for you or your minor children if they were victims of abuse. Domestic violence includes physical or sexual abuse, threats of bodily harm, and stalking. You can obtain an injunction against a family member you live with now or in the past and against your intimate partner. For more information, see Help with Domestic Violence.

Relative Caregiver: Helping you obtain temporary custody of or adopt a minor child who lives with you. Generally, you must be related to that child, but non-relative caregivers may also apply.

Miscellaneous: Helping you with a confidential name change if you are a victim of domestic violence, and with emergency actions such as child pick up orders.

For information about how to apply for help with a family law matter click here.